Defending the indefensible - another PM thread

[Seabag]

Everyone surely knew Johnson would lie his job to death, I?m surprised it took so long, but hey ho!. So on that front he?s been completely consistent. And he?s not hanging on now for the country, more for what is left of his rep and how his story will look once he?s out and on the lecture/speaker circuit.

I suspect Carrie wants to hang on to her gold foil wallpaper as long as possible too, there?s an awful lot of cash tied up in no. 11. And I?m sure whilst Boris was splashing the nations cash without so much care, it?ll smart when he?s spunked his own dosh on his current residency, specially thinking the Rishi will be in there next enjoying the place at no extra expense to himself.

Or heaven forbid the thought of Liz ?Colin the Caterpillar? Truss, grinning at herself every morning in the reflection of the Downing Street wall paper doesn?t bear thinking about.

https://images.app.goo.gl/R27YXcTiGhPr2Mcs7

https://apple.news/A8FOkq_GWRNSeK-nrV5yiXQ

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

TBF at least Carrie has a flat to go home to, even if it is in Far North East Dulwich (wonder what her login here is?). If Johnson isn't PM, he'll be slung out of No 10 and be homeless.

[JohnL]

So Jeremy Hunt is the best of a bad bunch

That says something about our situation

[JohnL]

Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> TBF at least Carrie has a flat to go home to, even

> if it is in Far North East Dulwich (wonder what

> her login here is?). If Johnson isn't PM, he'll be

> slung out of No 10 and be homeless.

He only just did the place up.

[jazzer]

Seabag Wrote:

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> "it?ll smart when he?s spunked his own dosh on his current residency" - Didn't think anyone would spunk cash, a horrible thought!!

> "Or heaven forbid the thought of Liz ?Colin the

> Caterpillar? Truss" - care to explain what you mean?

[wordsworth]

It's not a good choice...

[Chick]

In the meantime they are slowly privatising the NHS and all we get is this distraction.

TheCat Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Im really not....love him or hate him....while

> he's fighting reputational fires related to

> relevelations from stuff that happened 18 months

> ago....hes not focussed on actually running the

> country (one could argue if he ever was to be

> fair)...

>

> So the national just drifts, and drifts with

> nothing but hot air underpinning it.....

[JohnL]

If you're a Tory MP and the Whip comes over and threatens you or your constituency if you don't support Boris, Report it to the Police seems to be the message this morning.

not really a Cummings story - seems to be a group of MPs now that are angry (including David "In Gods Name Go" Davis).

[JohnL]

Chick Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In the meantime they are slowly privatising the

> NHS and all we get is this distraction.

>

>

> TheCat Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Im really not....love him or hate him....while

> > he's fighting reputational fires related to

> > relevelations from stuff that happened 18

> months

> > ago....hes not focussed on actually running the

> > country (one could argue if he ever was to be

> > fair)...

> >

> > So the national just drifts, and drifts with

> > nothing but hot air underpinning it.....

Sunak will privatise it faster

[Seabag]

Sephiroth Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> As we approach the final death throes of this

> absolute snake oil gobshite, it?s odd to see this

> thread go quiet

>

> I?m going to assume it?s guilt for many

I?m going to be kind and say, many people seem to have run out of things to say, through some kind of ?fatigue? in the case of Johnson. A bit like shell shock where people go mute.

I?m perversely fascinated in not actually seeing him go, more of the the tension created by the collision between the energies and efforts in those around him trying to come up with ways to keep him there, along with his own hideous and grotesque manoeuvres to hang on to power. Much like convergent boundaries, the subduction zone where the collision occurs, is the most volcanic in times like this.

Often in life an individual will have a level beyond which they stoop before they do the decent thing. However, there are a few that have no boundaries, no bottom to their barrel, Johnson being one of them (and my Ex). I?m looking forward to his scraping, how many people he?s preparing to toss under the bus, or in his case, one of those long long freight trains that?s seem to go on forever, before he?s eliminated or against all odds succeeds.

[ontheedge]

I just wonder with the days closing In how many NHS & Social Services staff are going to be sacked due to not having taken vaccines, an order by our government whilst they ( the government)blatantly broke every rule!! The NHS as the tories wished always was will totally collapse very soon! I am totally pro vaccine and infuriated by those who haven chosen not because of a whacky pseudoscience explanation, but surely the government should have been an exemplary example of how to behave & they have let us down

[TheCat]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sephiroth Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > As we approach the final death throes of this

> > absolute snake oil gobshite, it?s odd to see

> this

> > thread go quiet

> >

> > I?m going to assume it?s guilt for many

>

>

> I?m going to be kind and say, many people seem to

> have run out of things to say, through some kind

> of ?fatigue? in the case of Johnson. A bit like

> shell shock where people go mute.

>

> I?m perversely fascinated in not actually seeing

> him go, more of the the tension created by the

> collision between the energies and efforts in

> those around him trying to come up with ways to

> keep him there, along with his own hideous and

> grotesque manoeuvres to hang on to power. Much

> like convergent boundaries, the subduction zone

> where the collision occurs, is the most volcanic

> in times like this.

>

> Often in life an individual will have a level

> beyond which they stoop before they do the decent

> thing. However, there are a few that have no

> boundaries, no bottom to their barrel, Johnson

> being one of them (and my Ex). I?m looking forward

> to his scraping, how many people he?s preparing to

> toss under the bus, or in his case, one of those

> long long freight trains that?s seem to go on

> forever, before he?s eliminated or against all

> odds succeeds.

Boris Johnson is your ex?!!!!

Maybe I' ve read that wrong;)...

[Waseley]

It's OK ladies and gents. It's all the civil servants' fault. Those lazy good for nothing scroungers have seen Covid as a bonus as they no longer need to turn up to work.

OK now the real story. They have been shrinking the Whitehall estate for years and greater connectivity had allowed staff to work from anywhere, including home. I expect that us similar to many other office based in the private sector. There will be a return to the right balance of office and remote working. Both old, because that is the way they've always done it, and the young who may need social interaction and get away from working from their bedrooms will want time in the office

But hey ho, it detracts from the current mess.

[diable rouge]

''But hey ho, it detracts from the current mess.''

And leads to an even more disgruntled workforce, thus increasing the possibility of yet more leaks, as per the Partygate scandal.

I read that the sender of the BYOB email has turned canary after learning about Johnson's Operation Save Big Dog and the it's plan to throw the No.10 staff under the bus.

Hopefully it won't be too long before Slobberchops finally gets his balls cut-off...

[malumbu]

Could be seen as inappropriate and offensive language DR

But it did make me laugh!

[Seabag]

I was wondering why Johnson kept to the ?let Sue Gray publish her report? line, thinking it was just kicking the can up the road. But in all seriousness. I don?t recon he actually knows how many parties he?s been to and which ones were which.

He?s notoriously bad on detail, and he?s probably hoping she?ll miss one or two. Specially that one at the flat 😬.

[jazzer]

what are you actually trying to communicate? communicate? communicate?

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sephiroth Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > As we approach the final death throes of this

> > absolute snake oil gobshite, it?s odd to see

> this

> > thread go quiet

> >

> > I?m going to assume it?s guilt for many

>

>

> I?m going to be kind and say, many people seem to

> have run out of things to say, through some kind

> of ?fatigue? in the case of Johnson. A bit like

> shell shock where people go mute.

>

> I?m perversely fascinated in not actually seeing

> him go, more of the the tension created by the

> collision between the energies and efforts in

> those around him trying to come up with ways to

> keep him there, along with his own hideous and

> grotesque manoeuvres to hang on to power. Much

> like convergent boundaries, the subduction zone

> where the collision occurs, is the most volcanic

> in times like this.

>

> Often in life an individual will have a level

> beyond which they stoop before they do the decent

> thing. However, there are a few that have no

> boundaries, no bottom to their barrel, Johnson

> being one of them (and my Ex). I?m looking forward

> to his scraping, how many people he?s preparing to

> toss under the bus, or in his case, one of those

> long long freight trains that?s seem to go on

> forever, before he?s eliminated or against all

> odds succeeds.

[ianr]

I suspect he's anticipating that her judgement as to possible breaches of law may differ substantially from some common beliefs.

[Spartacus]

ianr Wrote:

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> I suspect he's anticipating that her judgement as

> to possible breaches of law may differ

> substantially from some common beliefs.

Or she's a former "conquest" of his 😱

[JohnL]

He had another party - his own birthday party. But he was only there for 10 minutes so it doesn't count apparently.

Wonder if the Gray Report will be just full of redacted stuff ?

[jazzer]

How much more contradiction can there be by Boris and Carrie (not sure who is worst of them), say one thing and yet do something totally different.

So what David Davis said in Parliament last week to Boris, "You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. In the name of God, go."

[TheCat]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> He had another party - his own birthday party.

> But he was only there for 10 minutes so it doesn't

> count apparently.

>

> Wonder if the Gray Report will be just full of

> redacted stuff ?

Look I think many aspects of this whole thing stink...and I personally will be glad to see him gone.

But, some of these stories are getting a little ridiculous and risk undermining the perception of the more serious breaches. The people in number 10 were essential workers, they were physically sitting next to each-other all day in their office....its was BJ's birthday...from what I have read they did what every office everywhere has done at some time or another, they stopped and looked up from their desks, while someone awkwardly presentetd a cake to the birthday boy....he would have then said 'thanks for all your hard work' or something to that effect and then everyone would have turned back to their screens after a requisite amount of fake smiling, forced joviality and looking like you really care....on such an occasion I think nearly everyoine would be saying 'I wasnt aware that it was a party'....

Boozing on the garden terrace or in the basement, with 30-40 other people...well thats a little different....

[Seabag]

There is a softer side to Gray. One admirer calls her a mean karaoke performer and says she adores cats, adding that she was responsible for introducing mouse catchers Evie and Ozzie to the Cabinet Office.

Ozzie or Auzzie?

I think TheCat needs to come clean on exactly where he/she does work ☝️

[malumbu]

I worked in an office for many years. Each birthday was different, some would bring in cake and leave it in the tea point (no office party), some would go down the pub (in the old days lunch time, later years after work), some wouldn't tell a soul, some would take the day off. Very very rarely any sort of gathering in the office, maybe a big birthday.

Yes in the great scheme of things it is relatively trivial, but still stupid under the circumstances.

In one respect it is a shame that Partygate has distracted us from other failings on the PM, not sure how much Dom is orchestrating this, and if so why the drip drip feed.

Fascinating article on Dom, and the PM, in the Grauniad. Worth a read. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/feb/06/inside-the-mind-of-dominic-cummings-brexit-boris-johnson-conservatives

[diable rouge]

''I think TheCat needs to come clean on exactly where he/she does work.''

Well, he doesn't work at No 10 because he paints a picture of a typical open-plan office, which it isn't.

This 'celebratory gathering' (I don't think it was a party in the true sense of the word, but newspapers will always use a far more punchier term for their headlines) happened in the Cabinet Room, which if you want to relate to a typical office would be something like a director's meeting room, where all the big heads meet. Journalists who've been inside it say that it would be impossible to socially distance circa 30 people in such a room which is dominated by a large conference table. So it wasn't a case of employees sat at their open-plan desks and stopping work for a bit, they all must have trooped-in from wherever they were working (Downing Street is a large warren-like series of rooms, something like circa 100 in total, so one would expect [hope!] that those who needed to work in No 10 and weren't WFH, were easily able to work and maintain social distance guidelines and certainly weren't working ''next to each other'').

Then there was the singing, something that was strictly prohibited even in much more open and cavernous spaces such as as churches, because this was one of the ways the virus could be passed on even if maintaining social distancing.

Although this episode can be seen to be less of a breach than the full-on parties in the garden and basement of No 10, nevertheless it was another major infringement of the the rules/guidelines the Gov and PM had been telling the country to adhere to, and those who didn't and were reported to the police, were fined. It's further evidence that they were telling the country to do one thing while completely ignoring their own rules/guidelines.

You also have to remember that Johnson stood up in Parliament and feigned 'dismay' and any knowledge of parties/gatherings in No 10 when the Allegra Stratton video emerged back in December, which we now know to be untrue as he was in direct attendance in this latest revelation and the larger garden party. So in the context of that alone, this story is anything but frivolous.

I see while writing this, the Met are now going to officially investigate the whole 'partygate' thing, although it didn't say why. Perhaps it was this story that finally broke the dam whereby they couldn't ignore the whole saga anymore, or maybe Sue Gray has found something else that she was duty bound to report to the Met, leaving them no option but to open an investigation.

Whatever, I think we can all agree that Johnson is in an even worse position than he was last week...